Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Season 4 Joyce Harper is Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, author, public speaker, scientist and host of the podcast Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This? Together with expert guests and people with lived experience, this podcast offers practical tools to help you build a life of good health and happiness. www.joyceharper.com Instagram, TikTok: @profjoyceharper Facebook: Global Women Connected
Joyce (00:02)
Hi, I'm Joyce Harper and I want to welcome you to season four of my podcast, Why
Didn't Anyone Tell Me This? Together with expert guests and those with lived
experiences, we will give you some tools to empower you to live a life of good health
and happiness.
Joyce (00:22)
Today I'm speaking to Amber Lort Phillips about the Big Retreat Festival. This is one of
my favorite festivals. It's a four day wellbeing and adventure festival set in the
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. And Amber first set this up in 2018. And what's
brilliant about this festival and what you're going to hear about in this podcast is ways
that we can use various practices to help our wellbeing, to relax, to reset, to rest.
I think all of us need to do that. And with the Big Retreat Festival, has included, I think
it's about 300 events that cover so many different ways for us to do exactly that and
ways to look after our mental health. So I think you're going to really find something in
this podcast to help you think about ways to look after your mental health. And
hopefully we'll see you at the Big Retreat Festival. Enjoy.
Joyce (01:18)
Welcome, Amber.
Amber (01:21)
Hi Joyce.
Joyce (01:23)
So I'm really looking forward to our discussion today because I love festivals and I really
love the Big Retreat Festival. So Amber, let's start at the beginning. Can you tell us a bit
about yourself and why you set up the Big Retreat Festival?
Amber (01:36)
Yeah, well I've always been into wellbeing and fitness. I'm a qualified Vance Pilates
instructor, qualified personal trainer, and then I had a gym for many years. And then
when I sold the gym, when I had my little one, I started running retreats. So it started off
with a small retreat and then I just, the results were unbelievable. I remember meeting a
lady, had come to one of our treats and she hadn't slept for seven years. And that night
she slept for the first time and it was just incredible. And just the connections that you
make at Retreats are just amazing. So I was talking to a friend of mine who later became
the co-founder and I said, I just want to do a big retreat. want this, you know, to be
accessible to everybody. So I spoke to my father-in-law who had an amazing ⁓ farm
and we said, look, is there any chance we could run a festival on the castle site and it
started from there. So we started with about 250 people and now we're up to 5,000 this
year. So yeah, it's been an incredible journey. And it was that sort of gap in the market
as well, because I love wellbeing, but I also love music and I love having a great time.
And I also sometimes felt that sometimes when you go to retreats, they're quite
prescriptive and they sort of tell you what to do. And I don't want to tell anyone what to
do. I want people just to discover things, enjoy life. So it was kind of like a hybrid
between I love festivals, but I also love wellbeing. So we kind of like made the two and
then we came up with a big retreat.
Joyce (03:13)
fantastic. Definitely my formula for a brilliant weekend in the summer. ⁓ Now, we're
going to dig deeper into what makes the Big Retreat Festival so unique. But first of all,
tell us what it is. So why is it so different to other festivals and retreats?
Amber (03:17)
Hahaha
I think it's a retreat but the festival atmosphere. So you don't have to be a yogic, you
don't have to be fit, you don't have to be into wellness. You can come for the music, you
can come for the food, you can come for the talks, or you can just come for the
connection, just to meet people. So it's curated but it's not prescriptive. So you choose
your own experience and it's deeply community led and that's what makes it so
powerful.
Joyce (03:58)
Yeah, it really is. one thing, so we're going to talk about this in a minute, but we've done
a bit of research together last year. When I first met you, we were talking about me
coming to the festival and doing some various events with you. But then at end of the
conversation, you said to me, I really want to do some research and find out what
people are really feeling at the festival. So that's what we've done. we'll talk about that
in a minute. But one of the biggest things that I've really took from the analysis of the
data was that it is a weekend when there is so many different things where normally you
go to a yoga retreat. I mean, I run a while swimming yoga retreat where you go to a
meditation retreat or a silent retreat, but a big retreat festival, you have gathered
together so many different wellbeing practices that I just think that's what's so unique.
You can come there and try things that you've never tried before or do the things that
you always love doing but you want to try it again with different instructors and
teachers. So I think that's what's really amazing. So can you tell us about the different
areas of the festival and how you've done that
Amber (05:16)
Yeah, so I suppose our sort of the one that started it all was the soul space. So it's a very
sort of grinding space as yoga, meditation, gong baths, breath work. It's a kind of place
that really helps to ⁓ regulate your nervous system and it brings calm. So we kind of
started with that space and then there was the fitness field. They both thought, because
that was my background, I guess, was the sort of Pilates side and then the fitness. So
the fitness field is full of hundreds of fitness classes. And again, it's that whole thing
when you're instructing, I was constantly doing new courses, so whether it was Zumba
or was Kettle size or whatever the latest thing. And I love all those different types of
exercises. And it's great if somebody just comes in and just picks that one thing. So
rather than being all Zumba, not everybody's gonna like Zumba, not everyone likes
Kettle size, not everyone likes HIIT. But if somebody just finds one little thing that makes
their life better, then I feel like we've done our job. So I have to get loads of different
things all in one space so people can pick and choose. So that was the yoga space and
then the fitness. And then obviously we've got the live music. That's really important as
well for people having that space to just dance like nobody's watching. Then we've got
our talks and panels. So that was to sort of normalise conversations about menopause,
neurodiversity, stress, resilience. we wanted people to just make sure they didn't feel
alone and that there's lots of people going through lots of different things. And so I think
that really benefits people and that's what's so powerful about that space. The chef's
kitchen, again, we do anything from learning about food if you've got allergies or if
you've got diabetes, but also we do wine tasting and gin tasting because it's a feel-good
festival. So for me, those things are included in that whole thing. Then the Woodland
Spa.
It's an amazing space, you can just go there. It's a slower place, treatments, it's a place
to restore, get quiet. So not everything is that kind of whole high energy. Arts and crafts,
so our mind space is all about trying something new, a new craft, a new hobby. So you
can go and do liner printing or spoon carving or paint somebody else's portrait opposite
you and just have a good giggle. So you don't have to be good at arts and craft, it's just
about switching that mind off. So then there's that amazing space. The Feel Good Field
is quite a new space over the last few years and that's just got so popular it's
unbelievable. So that space is all about pure joy, connection, dancing, drumming,
laughter, yoga, men's circles, women's circles, social meetups. We have great talks
about sex, don't we Joyce? About the benefits of orgasms. And it's, yeah, you know, it's
a real space for expression and connection.
Joyce (07:55)
Yes. That was me, in case anyone didn't realize.
Amber (08:06)
Within that space we've got our magic teapot, which is a lovely acoustic venue and it
goes late into the night where you can just sing. It only serves tea, so the main bar
closes at 12, but you can go in there afterwards and sing to your heart's content, which I
think is just an incredible space of joy. And then Darwin's Den is about looking after the
planet. It's storytelling, growth, big conversations, gives people perspective and often
language for things that they've been feeling but maybe can't articulate.
So that's another sort of, yeah, it's a lovely space. We learn about the planet, about
looking after, yeah, how we can look after the planet better, how we can look after
ourselves better. Like we have lots of adventurers in that space as well and they can tell
their inspiring stories. So yeah, there's a whole host of things you can try.
Joyce (08:55)
It's just so amazing. So my one complaint is that I just didn't have enough time to go to
a...
Amber (09:03)
That's why you have to go twice a year, that's why we're doing Cambridge.
Joyce (09:04)
Yeah, yeah, so we're gonna come on to Cambridge in a minute. ⁓ and I wanted to pick
up on one thing, which was alcohol. So we've talked about this and I totally agree with
you. You said you don't wanna be prescriptive. You wanna put everything on the table
and let people decide how they want to spend their time and what they want to try out.
And I totally agree with that. I'm not a huge drinker, but I don't think a retreat needs to be
non-alcohol. our retreat, we're in France. So we go to vineyards and ⁓ do some wine
tasting. And I've had some comments about that. you have wine at your retreat. Yeah.
Why do you have to not do things? For me, you've said the word already. A retreat for me
is things that bring you joy and help you reset and relax. So as you said, it's going to be
totally different for different people.
Amber (09:41)
Yeah.
Joyce (10:02)
And I think what you've done here is so unique and so brilliant. I think everyone will find
something that they enjoy, don't you think?
Amber (10:15)
Yeah, and I think for me it's really important, it's a space of non-judgment, you just don't
judge people. Everyone's going through different things in their lives at different times
and I don't think it's up to anyone to judge anyone else. If somebody wants to have a
drink or if they don't want to have a drink that's all fine, if somebody wants to eat meat
and somebody doesn't want to eat meat let's not judge that, let's just be kind. And I
think I have a real thing about kindness, it's like being kind to yourself, be kind to others,
be kind to the planet and Just let people be themselves. We are constantly in the
wellbeing industry told what to do and it drives me crackers to be honest. Just let
people be, everyone will find their own space, everyone finds their own flow into what
they wanna do and it's people's capacity. What have you got capacity for right now? So
yeah, think non-judgmental is huge for me.
Joyce (11:09)
So Amber, when did you start the festival?
Amber (11:13)
So we started back in 2018.
Joyce (11:17)
and tell us a bit about where it is.
Amber (11:22)
So we are right in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, which is one of the most
stunning locations you'll probably ever come across. And we are on the old castle site
in Noreny, ⁓ where there used to be a beautiful big castle. It's obviously no longer. You
can still see some of the remnants and the stonework and there's some old pathways.
And it's honestly one of the most magical places I think you can ever go to. And I think
you go there. I always remember actually once this little boy thought it was a painting.
He thought the view was a painting, so was just so stunning. And it was just one of those
real magical moments. You you just think, wow, he thought that you couldn't have a
view like that, that it had to be a painting. Because it is stunning. You kind of like look
out when you sit on the castle terrace and you look out over the view and you've got the
estuary in front of you and you can sometimes see Kerry Castle in the distance. It's just
beautiful and that's just like massive horizon of like opportunity isn't it when you you go
there. It's a little reminder I think about huge horizons.
Joyce (12:28)
People that know me know I love big skies. Having been brought up in London, lived in
London most of my life, I just love a big sky. And I did spend every evening having just a
little quiet time at the festival on my own, just sitting, looking at the water. was so
comfortable. Forget everything else, just actually sitting there would have been happy.
Amber (12:48)
Yeah. Yeah, it's all you need to do. Some people just come and just sit. know, some
people will do like a million yoga classes. Some people will just grab their book and just
sit and absorb the view and absorb nature and you know, reconnect back again. It's
lovely.
Joyce (13:06)
Now, so since 2018, you've obviously run it for quite a few years now. So what have you
learned from watching people who are coming year after year?
Amber (13:12)
Mm think the biggest thing is the transformation doesn't have to be dramatic.
Sometimes it's just someone dancing for the first time in years. I always remember this
lovely old, this lovely lady in her slippers, I think she was a local lady that had just come
up from the village and she was just stood in her slippers giving it large to Gok Wan and
you're like, oh wow, that is just amazing. She was absolutely loving it. And sometimes
it's just someone making a new friend or sometimes somebody just saying, oh, I finally
feel myself again. You know, it's just giving people that space to find themselves again.
You know, sometimes people come alone and then they leave with a whole host of
friends, which is great. And they come back the following year. You know, we've got a
really high rebooking rate because people just meet at the festival and then they all
come back again the next year. It's fab. So yeah, it never gets old.
Joyce (14:15)
And how, no, and how do you want people to feel after they've attended the festival?
they go home, that's the important part, isn't it?
Amber (14:26)
Yeah, absolutely. I want them to feel reconnected. I want them to be inspired,
rejuvenated. I want them to feel lighter, empowered. I think my big thing is if somebody
picks up one little thing from the festival that makes their life better, I feel like I've done
my job. So yeah, when they go home, that one little thing.
Joyce (14:52)
And this podcast, resets a great word. And this podcast is the last of my mini series
about ways to improve our mental health. And I know how I felt being at the festival. Do
you feel that people attending the festival have improved mental health after coming?
And we can talk about the actual data from the survey in a minute, but before we even
did the survey, did you think that was something that was going to be high on their
agenda?
Amber (14:53)
So it's about a reset. Yeah. Yeah, I did. think we've had emails and letters from people
saying that it's been transformational for them. So, you know, that's really emotional
when you get these letters afterwards just saying, actually, this has completely
changed my life on a mental health perspective. And I don't think it's just one single
thing at the festival. I think it's the combination of nature, movement, the music, the
community, learning something new, you get time to rest. Just in all this like immersive
experience and it just something shifts for people and sometimes I can't quite explain it
but the emails honestly that we get after the festival they always make me cry because
it's just so powerful.
Joyce (16:07)
That is absolutely brilliant. this is why when we first ever talked together, you said, I
want to, I've got, you've had all these anecdotes from people, those emails and things,
but you wanted to actually do a bit of proper research. So this is what we did. You and I
designed a survey to ask people attending the festival. So to fill in, just after they
finished being at the festival last summer, we asked them about their physical and
mental health, how it was before the festival.
Amber (16:26)
Yeah.
Joyce (16:37)
how they felt it either improved or decreased at the festival. And as well as that, we
asked them about stress levels and about the levels of happiness. So of those, what did
you feel was the most important findings of their reports on their physical and mental
health?
Amber (16:59)
I think the mental health obviously was incredibly strong. ⁓ And actually finding out like
the festival setting itself, it is the nature, it's the community, it's the atmosphere, ⁓ was
one of the biggest contributors. So it's not just about the sessions and everything that
we put together, it's also the environment. I think that was a big thing that came out of
it. And the connection to nature. It's about doing all these wonderful things in an
amazing setting. I think that was the sort of, kind of amazing finding out of all of it. And
much stronger than the physical ones. So the mental element was much stronger than
sort of the physical benefits from coming to the Fest.
Joyce (17:46)
Yeah, I didn't predict that. never realised how much, the mental health, as you said,
was way out there. And the quotes, we've now got thousands of beautiful quotes from
people saying how this was so important to them. And while we were analysing all this
data and collecting it, I was writing my book, ⁓ which is all about everything that you've
said. I just think all of the things you've got this festival are so important and time in
nature, as you said, if they just came and just sat and relaxed, which yeah, I never quite
had enough time to do it as much as I would have. I'm going to work on that this year.
But the other, the spaces that I didn't realize would come out top actually. So I
obviously knew the yoga and soul space. So as you said, know, it was everything in
there is about resetting and relaxing and that space is the recipe for most retreats. Most
retreats are doing all those sorts of Tai Chi and yoga, et cetera, et cetera. But for me, I
was really pleased because I did appear, as you said, talking about orgasms and why
sex is so good for us in the feel-good field. And I did go to most events in there. I did
some ecstatic dancing. We did some drumming. And it was just such an amazing
space. But I didn't realize until we analyzed the survey that that really came out top or in
the top three in a number of the questions that we asked them. So have you any
thoughts of why you think some of the really varied events that you have put in that
area? You said this is, this is quite a new area. Why do you think that was so important?
Was it because they all quite new things that maybe people haven't done so obviously
in their life and that they're coming to experience something new and exciting.
Amber (19:52)
I think people are more open to try things in a festive environment. So I think that's
maybe why people were keen to try things or they're more open to try things. Andy, who
puts that space together is amazing. You know, he creates that space with so much
thought and passion. I think he's just created an amazing space with some incredible
facilitators that have got so much to offer and they've They are offering things that we
don't normally see at festivals. Not ones that I've been to before. And I think, yeah, that
just that point of being open to try stuff or curious. think a lot of people that come to Big
Retreat are curious people and they're happy to try things. They want to try new things.
So, yeah, I'm starting to realise a lot of people that come to Big Retreat are curious.
They're probably a bit like me in some, you know, they just want to learn something
new, they're curious about different topics, intrigued by certain conversations, and
open to the expressive dancing and things like that. I didn't think that would be that
popular, but people love it. And I think they're just given that opportunity to feel free,
dance around like a loon.
Nobody's going to judge them. And I think that is definitely big retreat. It's like we are not
judging people. We are not going to stand there and look at somebody that's having a
fantastic time, you know, throwing their body around and thinking anything different
about it. It's just great. It's amazing to see people truly relax. And I think in that space,
Andy's created a very special space where people can truly relax. They can open up.
they can have amazing conversations that maybe they might not have had before. So
yeah, I think it's the space. I think it's a real lovely area at the festival that's hidden in the
woodland. It's like a massive kutch, like all surrounded by willow and trees, which I
think is quite lovely. It's a very, it feels nice, that space. yeah, a number of things, I think,
with that one. What do you think about it? What were your... Because you were in there
a lot.
Joyce (22:09)
Yeah, I think the name is just brilliant. Feel good field. mean, it did. But I think the other
word I would say was safe. It was a safe space. And we had some sessions that were
pretty emotional. ⁓ They were, as you said, people trying things that were a little bit
more out of the box that they might not have tried at home and might not have had the
courage to go to on their own and somewhere here it was safe space. So if you wanted
to try drumming or ecstatic dancing or the didgeridoo or whatever, you had time and
you felt held. So you could absolutely go and have a go knowing that probably most
people in there hadn't done it before. And there were tears in some of them. In one of
the drumming workshops, I've done a lot of ⁓ drumming. I've done a podcast with my
drumming mentor, Sophie Messager, and we're about to do actually following on from
the work we've done. I'm just about to put in the ethics actually this week for a survey
asking specifically women who do drumming, any type of drumming, how it makes
them feel. So very, very similar to our research as well. So it's a brilliant thing that's
come out of us doing this. But I know that because I've done it quite a lot, I know that it
can bring up a lot of emotion and people can cry. there was some women who had
come to my orgasm talk, who I'd already had conversations with, and one of them broke
down. it was, I felt good that I could go and reassure her and say, look, this is totally
natural. It happens. It just brings things up. So there were lots of events in there that can
really stir things in people and bring things up. And it was a safe space. There were
really people around who you knew could look after you and support you through that.
So I think that's what makes that area, it's just such a relaxing area. And then we've got
the magic teapot near, which I love. I wanted to spend more time in there. my goodness
me, that was just, it was so quirky and again, so relaxing. And yeah, I spent almost the
whole time going around on my own at the festival last year.
Amber (24:14)
That's amazing.
Joyce (24:33)
I absolutely loved it and it was just fantastic. they were just two very special spaces
where you could go alone and experience something new and come away with a big
smile on your face.
Amber (24:42)
Yeah. Yeah, I think 20 % of our audience actually are solo travellers. So it clearly does
feel like a very safe space for solo travellers to come to. And you you can go to different
activities and then you'll meet somebody or if you don't want to talk, you can talk, you
can either just listen or you can join a conversation. But it is, think, because there's so
many different activities, it's quite nice as a solo traveller, because you can just potter
into each different one. And if you don't like it, you can, I think the other thing is so much
of it is included in your ticket price, that if something's not quite right for you, you don't
feel like, God, I've got to stay because I've paid for this. You can like potter into
something else. And I think that's one of the things about a big retreat is not trying to do
everything. It's, you know, just relaxing into it and just seeing what pops up. You know,
you might walk past a tool and think, that's interesting. I'm to go and pop in there and I,
and or see a workshop that you fancy dropping into, whether it's a portrait painting or
you're doing mandalas or you're making, I don't know, writing some journaling
workshop or whatever, you can just pop in and out of things, which I think really helps
people feel comfortable and relaxed. Yes, we do have added extra add-ons if you want
to pay for extra things, but there is a huge amount included in your ticket. We have over
300 activities included in the ticket. So it gives people that opportunity to just try
different things and discover something new which I think is really important.
Joyce (26:21)
Yeah, that sense of community really came up. And for me, I was absolutely very, very
comfortable walking around on my own. anyone that's thinking about coming solo, you
will feel so held at this festival. ⁓ absolutely do it. Yeah, 20 % of people, as you said,
that is really quite amazing. I think that's probably really high for a festival. And yeah,
that's a great statistic. And we know from the survey that they felt really great and they
didn't feel uncomfortable at all at the festival. they could, everyone was talking to
everybody. never had more than a few steps and someone wasn't chatting or we were
having a hug or, you know, whatever, or laughing. There was a lot of laughter. There was
tears, but there's stuff. And I think when we're doing these sort of deep, practices that
do bring up things, where it's going to be tears for sure, but we build on that. so, yeah,
that sense of community was really, really at the forefront of the comments we got back
on the survey as well.
Amber (27:40)
Yeah, and I think we do have Blink Mental Health Awards on site. You know, they have
got three, they've got a drop-in tent if somebody is feeling overwhelmed. We've got free
therapy sessions. There's three therapists always at the festival in the soul space if you
need to go and find somebody, Blink Mental Health are there. So if something does
come up, it's really important we've got these people that you can go and talk to. We
can talk to anybody, but you know, we've got qualified therapists there if you feel you do
need to go and talk to somebody or a chill out tent if you just feel overwhelmed and just
need to go and sit down and have a bit of peace and quiet for a while.
Joyce (28:16)
Yeah, a lot of people, some of the things I was going say, they're really deep. So those
things are going to come up. But as you said, the support is there. So yeah, what I really
loved as well was people saying that there was so much they were taking away and they
were actually making life changes, especially actually from being at talks. And they
talked about They were going to cook more food. They were going to eat more healthy.
And that they'd learned things in the talks that had really given them the education
about how they could improve their quality of life, which that made me so happy to read
those comments. It
so powerful
Amber (29:02)
Yeah, think I know Kwoklyn Wan always says he runs our chef's kitchen stage. He
always says everybody turns up with their notebook and pencil and pad and they just
write things down, which is lovely watching people writing all their little notes down and
what they've learned in a session, whether it is like the chef's kitchen or a talk that
they've learned or one little like light bulb moment sometimes that comes in and you're
just like, wow, that's going to make a big difference to that person. It just resonates with
them and they've it down which is fab.
Joyce (29:33)
And I've already mentioned my book, but honestly, I've got the first chapters in the
happiness section of my book are about hobbies, which your festival ticks, loads of
hobbies, creativity, you've got tick, ⁓ sex, we've got that tick, we've got ⁓ adventures
and journeys that change us, travel, tick, tick, time in nature, tick, quality time alone
tick, friendships and community. It's all of those things. You've literally, it's the blueprint
of my book as well. So I'm so happy that we've been working together because it's so
aligned with what, as I said, I was writing the book as we were looking at the data and
it's just brilliant. So yeah, they can read my book and come to the big retreat and they'll
have so many ideas of how to reset. Relax. And for me with the mental health think
we're living in societies now, our society that we live in is just bonkers. I mean, we are
bombarded by information and stuff and our work-life balance has gone out the
window. Burnout is just a major problem and the whole anxiety and overwhelm and
stress. And especially for women, many of the women that, but many of the people that
filled in the survey were women, which we always get but there are more women at the
festival. there, I think, do you know the average age? We did look at the survey, I can't
remember what it was. I think it was about 50. Oh, 40 is it?
Amber (31:08)
Yeah, the average age is nearly 40. It's nearly 40. Yeah, I think with your... Yeah. Yeah.
There was, think we had one lady actually, which was lovely, who was 70 last year. And
it was her first time ever at a festival, first time camping. She bought a tent, she put it up
herself, and she had an amazing time. She came in her own. Fucking amazing. Just like
that is so cool.
Joyce (31:15)
That is so cool. That is so, so cool. Yeah, so we definitely had a lot of women. Again, my
book's aimed at the women over 50. There was a lot of women there who were there to
take on ideas about how they can improve their joyful years. So it's just a win-win-win.
But obviously the guys, the guys, and obviously in Wales, you have families. But I
wanted to talk now a little bit about Cambridge. So this year is the first year you're going
to do Cambridge, and it is over 18th only. So tell us about Cambridge, why you wanted
to do it, and how you decided where to do it.
Amber (32:13)
I think there was a demand for people that can't travel to Wales. I mean, it is far. We are
in the end of nowhere in Pembrokeshire. It takes quite a long time to get here, which is
why we do it on the bank holiday Monday, because it is a long drive to get here for a lot
of people. So we wanted to be more accessible to a lot more people. And I think it's the
same as that first time when we started doing small retreats and I wanted to do it for
more people. We've kind of got to the point in Pembrokeshire where this needs to be
available for more people. We need to do it in more locations. So we are looking at quite
a different locations now to expand again in 2027, which is amazing. But yeah,
Cambridge, we picked Abbott Ripton, which is the old site of ⁓ Secret Garden Party.
And I think anybody that's been to that festival will understand how special that site is.
It's absolutely beautiful. It's got a really magic feel when you go there. The team are
amazing. They have such a lovely team that run the event side and they have been so
welcoming, so helpful, very inclusive and just, and I think that there was a number of
reasons we picked that space, a lot to do with how beautiful this site is and the team
that are behind it as well. The people that run the estate are just phenomenal and really
unbelievably supportive. So yeah. And it's close to London, lots of people can get there.
I think about a million people drive past the estate every week. It's a huge footfall of
people that can get to that festival.
Joyce (33:53)
And something important to say, which I've only just double checked today because
somebody asked, one of my friends asked me, so there are day tickets for Cambridge,
aren't they? Do you have day tickets for Wales?
Amber (34:01)
Yeah, we do have day tickets for Wales, but they're not as, I think even now we've seen
that Cambridgeshire has been more popular for day tickets. Although I have to say the
point of the big retreat is to come and immerse, know, immerse yourself in the whole
experience. ⁓ But yeah, I think, I guess it's easier for people to come for the day in
Cambridgeshire. So if you can't commit to that full weekend, you can still experience it
for a day. And I guess. You know, if you're there from seven o'clock in the morning till
midnight, you'll get a damn good experience. You know, you'll get to experience the full
big retreat, you know, ethos, I guess, in that full day.
Joyce (34:41)
I do know, I mean, as I said, I'm a big festival goer. I've always gone to festivals since I
was a teenager. It's my thing. do about seven, it's normally about seven or eight a year.
But I know when I say that, there are some people that just don't, they don't want a
camp. don't want, know, they just don't like that whole thing. So I do think that a day
ticket, as you say, they're not gonna be fully immersed, but they are going to get
exposure to some new events that practices that they would never have done before.
So I think next year in Cambridge you'll see a lot of those people that came for the day
will say, I want more of that, I'm going to come back.
Amber (35:21)
Yeah, I'll come for the next day. And I think that a lot of people, because we have got an
older demographic at the festival. So actually even in Pembrokeshire, some people will
stay in local bed and breakfast and they just come in every day or they stay in a local
hotel or they rent a cottage. Airbnb is really popular with Big Retreat as well. So we've
definitely seen a rise in glamping bookings. I think our glamping area has quadrupled in
size this year, which is huge and camper vans as well. So yeah, I think. Camping is
definitely. I'd probably say less popular than Glamping and Motorhomes. It's definitely
shifted over the last few years and I think just because of our demographic that we have
at the festival. We still have thousands of people at camp, but yeah, Glamping is getting
more and more popular and bringing a van along is getting more popular.
Joyce (36:14)
See, I've always loved camping, but I've said that's never been on my list of issues about
going to a festival. Even the weather, I'm okay with the weather, but since I've had my
camper van, oh my goodness me, it is a different level. the first fest, oh God, and the
first festival, I actually was trying to sort of think, it might've been, your festival might've
been the first, anyway, it one of the first festivals I did in the van.
Amber (36:30)
Yeah, it changes the experience.
Joyce (36:43)
And I, the very first night I was like, my God, what did I do all these years and exposing
my poor children to walking all that way with all their camping stuff and putting up the
tent and one year latitude it blew over and my goodness me, why didn't I have the
camper van then? felt like a really bad parent. So if anyone's thinking of getting a
camper van, it is glamping. It's just. It is amazing being in Canberra. At a festival, I love
it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And the other thing, so your podcast is coming out just after a
podcast I do about day raving with Adele. And she actually is at a festival at the same
site. So we did it, it's called Timescape. was at the same site last year in
Cambridgeshire and is on in August. So I'm going to be at that site twice.
Amber (37:14)
Yeah, and you can rent them, can't you? You can just rent a campervan for the weekend
as well, which is great.
Joyce (37:41)
this year at different festivals, obviously with you and also with Timescape. And I can
absolutely vouch. It is a lovely place and being in the woods and experiencing all these
wonderful practices is, ⁓ it's absolutely my happy place. So I'm so excited about this
summer with those two festivals at the top of my list. Obviously Wales as well. you're in
the top, you're twice in the top three and timescaping them as well. Oh, and Wildwood.
Oh my God, I better say Wildwood, otherwise my dear friend Vicky's gonna get very
upset when I don't Top four, top four, this one's top four festivals. Actually all of them at
the festivals are great. Oh my goodness, I'm rambling now. But they're amazing. So any
doubts, this is a win-win. You've got music, talks, all these wonderful events that are
just, it's just gonna be brilliant at the Big Retreat. Whether you come to Wales, obviously
Wales, we've got wonderful place for wild swimming. They're all amazing which was
absolutely glorious. But yeah, if Cambridge is nearer, it is a long drive. So I live near
Cambridge. I think most people probably know that. But so for me, it's just down the
road, but I will be at both. It will be amazing. I think this is a very hard question I'm going
to ask next. And obviously, you don't want to upset anyone, but are there any events or
guests that you're most excited about that are coming to either of the events,
Cambridge or Wales?
Amber (38:52)
Yeah. no. I think it's a mix of everything. I love meeting new people, you know that. just, I
love all these amazing people that we bring to Pembrokeshire. I love the fact my kids
can see all these incredible people that are out there doing amazing things. So I'm most
excited about the whole mix of the speakers, the music in the evening. You know, I love
watching at night time just standing back. My friend made me do it a few years ago. He
said, look, stand back and just look at everybody's faces. Look at what you've created
and like watch the smiles and the joy on people's faces. That's what I get most excited
about. And then actually even afterwards, when you get the messages afterwards that
it's changed people's lives and it's been transformational, that is what I find most
exciting about the Book Retreat.
Joyce (40:04)
I'm getting a bit emotional. I hardly ever cry, but if I cry, I cry at the Blumming Podcast. ⁓
goodness me, Amber, I'm getting a bit emotional. I'm just having flashbacks to last year
and yeah, really didn't want to leave. I am coming earlier and leaving later this year, just
for both of them, just to warn you. ⁓
Amber (40:12)
Yeah Yeah, do you know, I think some people cry they don't wanna leave. There's
something so magical ⁓ about the weekend, about the space. And like, honestly,
people do cry. They don't wanna go home. They just wanna just stay, because they think
they've just had the biggest kutch ever in Wales. And we're do the same in temperature.
Joyce (40:28)
Yeah. As I said, if you're feeling that you really need to work on your resetting and
clearing yourself mentally and physically, and you're curious about ways you could do
this, but you're not really sure where to go, which is exactly who my book's for as well,
actually, come along to either Pembrokeshire or Cambridgeshire and join us this year.
and I'll be very, you you're going to have a great time. I'm just going to say it. I'd be
shocked if anyone didn't come away feeling great, but come and find myself and
Amber. Come and say hello. Give me a hug for sure. Anyone give me a hug. ⁓ And don't
worry about coming so low. Absolutely fine. And you can just come for the day if you're
not feeling too confident. I know that, I know that that. Lack of confidence is a real issue
for lots of people. And I think your story about the 70 year old lady was the first ever
festival. Absolutely brilliant. If you've remotely been thinking about this, please come.
You even if you've just come for the day, come and join us and come and tell me if you
find me, tell me what you've loved. Tell me and Amber what you've loved the most
because we're not doing the study again this year, but we just love to hear what's really
got to people and that they've really felt passionate about. Any last thoughts on that
Amber?
Amber (42:17)
Yeah, I had another lady that was older as well that was in her 70s and she is now
teaching at the festival. So she came for the first time and I think she came for a couple
of years ⁓ just to enjoy it and then she went off and did some yoga courses and she's
now come back and teaching at the festival. So I think that's another amazing story. We
have quite a few people that come back actually that have come to the festival and
they've gone off and learnt something and then they come back and teach it at the
festival which I think is phenomenal.
Joyce (42:38)
I love it. I know you've...
Amber (42:47)
I think that's incredible.
Joyce (42:47)
Brilliant, brilliant. And I know you've got lots of stories because we talk quite a lot and
you've always got so many brilliant, brilliant stories. And I think, I don't know whether
we're going to do it at Wales ⁓ and in Cambridge, in Pembrokeshire and Cambridge, but
I hope that we will do some sessions to tell people a little bit more about what we found
in the research and the paper's been submitted so we’re hoping that it will be
published. It always takes some time. That's the way that these scientific papers work.
But we're hoping to be out soon. But certainly at the festivals, we can share and give
people some ideas about where they might want to explore during their time at the
festival. Right, so our last questions, Amber, that I ask all my guests. And I can't wait to
see what you're going to say. Amber, what makes you happy and where is your happy
place?
Amber (43:50)
What makes me happy? Do you know what makes me happy is watching everyone at
the festival being happy. That gives me a huge amount of joy is when I actually get the
time and take time to stand and just watch everyone and I love people watching at the
festival. Just the joy on people's faces. I get a massive, massive happiness buzz out of
that if I'm honest. I love being by the estuary. I love going for walks. I love my morning
walk, bit of gratitude as you get outside and ⁓ listen to the birds singing. I love all that
kind of thing. I think I'm much more in touch with that over the years. You forget actually
how amazing it is just to be out in nature. I'm very lucky that we live in Pembrokeshire
and I get to see that view every single day. The castle site for me is just one of the most
stunning locations ever. I would definitely say that's my happy place. I love if I'm feeling
a bit flat going to sit up there and just looking out at the view and you just remember all
the possibilities. So I would say the castle site very much is my happy place. My home is
my happy place with my family and my kids, my husband and just it's a real sense of the
village is a real sense of community. It's a lovely place to stay, Lorenny. Yeah, we've got
some amazing friends here, so it's a real, I love going away, don't get me wrong. I love
going into London and going to different events, but I really love coming home.
if I would say that is my happy place. See ya, music, watching people light up. That's my
happiness connection.
Joyce (45:33)
Yeah. Fantastic And you just made me think of another question actually. Are you
running any other more traditional types of retreats in between? mean, organizing the
Big Retreat Festival, know from discussing it with you, it's such a huge task to do. I
mean, absolutely amazing. I'm so grateful that you did it. Are you actually running any
other types of retreats in between?
Amber (45:58)
No, we're not this year. I think because we're doing Cambridgeshire as well, we have got
a few people from the festival because we have got a retreat centre on site. So our little
retreat is our accommodation business. It's a beautiful little, it's got glamping domes
and it's in the lower ward garden of the old castle site and it's absolutely beautiful. But
you can just come and stay and come and holiday here now. So yeah, we have a few
presenters. The amazing Lou Featherstone is coming to do a retreat with us. So yeah, if
people are looking for a treat space, they can come and hold it with us, but I just don't
have the capacity. I mean, I love teaching, I miss teaching, but I don't have the capacity
at the moment with Cambridgeshire as well. But it's something that we definitely look at
doing in the future again.
Joyce (46:35)
Great. Yeah, no, it's good that they can come and rent that space out if they want to run
a retreat like Lou's doing. So that's amazing. I'm glad we got that in actually. And my
very, very final question, Amber, what advice would you give your younger self? And
some people say something specific to them, but some people just say something
towards younger people.
Amber (47:00)
Yeah. Don't wait for permission, just do stuff. Trust your own instinct and build things
that really matter. Have a purpose, build things that matter because it makes such a
difference I think to your own wellbeing and the wellbeing of lots of people around you.
Joyce (47:36)
It's a beautiful way to finish. And Amber, just, on behalf of everyone that attends the
festival, I just want to thank you because I know it's such a huge job to do, to do this. It
really, really is. And on behalf of everybody, all the presenters and the teachers and
everyone that attends, thank you so much because it's really a special, special festival.
And I'm so looking forward to this year and I'm looking forward to seeing you again,
obviously. And meeting some wonderful people at the Big Retreat Festival. So thank you
very much.
Amber (48:01)
Thank you.